Childhood ADHD: Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Get the most out of your visit to the doctor.

While your child's doctor usually asks the questions during an exam, you can respectfully and proactively participate, too. In fact, asking the right questions can make a big difference in the way you manage your child's ADHD. Your child's health is important both to you and to the doctor, so don't hesitate to inquire about any topic you feel is relevant to your child's condition, whether it's a question about your child's ADHD diagnosis, something regarding your child's ADHD medication, curiosity about complementary or alternative therapies for child ADHD, or concern about your child's emotional health, your family's financial health, or any other lifestyle issue.

Engaging in a dialogue with your child's doctor will help educate you about ADHD and the ADHD treatment options available to your child, and it'll give your child's doctor a better sense of who your child is and how ADHD is affecting his or her health and life. With the lines of communication open, you, your child, and your child's doctor will be able to develop the best treatment plan for your child's individual needs.

But remember, your time with your child's doctor is limited, so be sure to arrive at the appointment prepared and ready to discuss ADHD and the questions that are important to you and your child. Start by:

• Researching ADHD. It's a good idea to get a better understanding of ADHD before your appointment. Through research, you may even be able to answer some of your own questions. Visit Everyday Health's ADD/ADHD Center, Revolution Health's ADHD Center, Children and Adults with ADHD, the Attention Deficit Disorder Association, the National Institute of Mental Health, and MedlinePlus.
• Strategizing. Your family doctor may not be able to answer all your questions about ADHD; some may be better addressed by a clinician who specializes in treating children with ADHD. Discuss this with your doctor, make a plan for addressing your concerns, and follow up with a specialist, as directed by your doctor. You may want to do additional research of your own.
• Keeping records. Consider keeping a journal of your concerns about your child's ADHD between visits to the doctor, and share any relevant information with your doctor — changes in behavior, effectiveness of your child's medications, and so forth. Additionally, taking notes during your child's appointments will help you remember important details after your visit. Alternatively, you may consider bringing a recording device or inviting someone to accompany you and take notes.

General ADHD Questions

If your child hasn't yet been formally diagnosed with ADHD, talk to your family doctor about arranging an evaluation with a specialist, such as a pediatrician, a child psychologist, a psychiatrist, or a developmental/behavioral specialist, or with a behavioral neurologist who specializes in treating children with ADHD.

Once your child has a formal diagnosis, the doctor will give you information about the condition and recommend a course of treatment. You'll probably have some questions and concerns about your child's diagnosis and how ADHD will affect your child's health and life. Consider asking the doctor the following:

• What are the various types of treatments used for child ADHD? Has one been shown to be better than the others? Which of these do you think would be best for my child and why?
• Does ADHD change with age? Do kids ever outgrow it?
• How will ADHD affect my child over the long term?
• What are the key components for successfully managing the challenges of ADHD?

Prescription Considerations

Stimulants are commonly prescribed to children to manage their ADHD symptoms, but your child's doctor may recommend another type of medication. It is important that you understand the medication the doctor is prescribing for your child. Ask the doctor about it, read the insert the pharmacy includes with the prescription, and have your child take the medication as directed by the physician. Knowing how your child's medication is supposed to work will help you evaluate its effectiveness and whether it's the right medication for him. Here are some questions you may want to ask your child's doctor about ADHD medications:

• Does my child need medication, or can she be treated effectively without it?
• How often and for how long will my child need to take this medication?
• Is there medication that my child can take on an as-needed basis, such as when he needs to focus or concentrate?
• What type of drug are you prescribing for my child, and how does it work?
• Where can I get more information about this drug?
• How will the medication make my child feel, and how will we know if it's working?
• When can my child expect to notice improvements in how she feels?
• What are the risks if my child doesn't take his medication as directed, or if he misses a dose?
• How has this medication been tested? Are there any recent clinical studies on it?
• What should we do if my child experiences any side effects? Are there any that may require us to call a doctor? Are there any that may require my child to stop taking the medication immediately?
• Could this medication interact with other medication my child is taking?
• Are there any foods, drinks (such as alcohol), vitamins, herbal supplements, or over-the-counter drugs that my child should avoid while taking this medication?
• Can other conditions affect or be affected by my child's medication? What if we have a family history of heart disease?
• Is this drug habit-forming?
• Can this medication be taken on an empty stomach, or should it be taken with food?

Therapeutic Treatment and Complementary and Alternative Therapies

Doctors often recommend a combination of therapies to treat ADHD symptoms in children. In addition to prescribing your child's medication, the doctor will probably refer your child to a mental health specialist for behavioral or cognitive therapy. You and your child may also consider complementary or alternative therapies, such as social skills training, parent education and support, yoga classes for children, ADHD coaching, and biofeedback. Ask your child's doctor or psychologist if any of these options would be beneficial.

• Should my child be seeing a child psychologist?
• What is behavioral therapy? How can it help improve my child's behavior?
• What is cognitive therapy? How can my child benefit from cognitive therapy?
• Which type of therapy do you think is best for my child?
• How will we know if we've chosen the right therapist?
• Are there any complementary or alternative therapies we should consider?
• Do any clinical trials or research support these complementary or alternative therapies?
• Could my child benefit from ADHD coaching? How does it work? Where can we get more information about this?
• What is biofeedback (also known as neurofeedback), and is it right for my child? Whom should we see for an evaluation?
• What kind of ADHD education and support groups are available to parents?
• How can social skills training help my child develop and maintain healthy relationships?
• Should my child be taking any supplements, such as omega-3 fatty acids?

Emotional Health

ADHD can take a toll on a child's emotional health and relationships, but your child's doctor can help you and your child find ways to cope with the emotional stress of ADHD, manage your child's symptoms, and handle the impact ADHD is having on your family and your child's other relationships. Ask your child's doctor or psychologist what else you can do to help your child cope with ADHD.

• What kind of impact is ADHD likely to have on my child's emotional well-being?
• How is my child's condition likely to affect her relationships, and what can we do to improve those relationships?
• How can a support group for parents of children with ADHD benefit me?
• How should I explain my child's condition to my spouse, our family, our friends, our child's friends, and their parents?

ADHD at School

While children with ADHD tend to face a number of challenges at school, your child's ADHD doesn't necessarily have to interfere with his education, performance, or peer relationships. By collaborating with your child's teachers on her academic achievements, and by helping with homework and studying, you can make your child's learning experience a gratifying one.

• How should I address my child's ADHD with the school and his teachers?
• How can I help my child get the most out of her experience at school?
• How can I help make my child's schoolwork seem less daunting?
• What kind of homework routine should I set?
• What kinds of educational tools, games, and exercises might help my child with learning?
• How do parents of children with ADHD deal with behavioral problems at school?
• How can we avoid ADHD stigmas?
• What should I know about the laws that accommodate and protect children with ADHD?
• What should I do if I feel my child is being discriminated against at school?
• What are my options if I don't like the way the teachers are handling my child's ADHD?
• What should we do if my child feels that he can't keep up at school? What accommodations can we ask for? Where can I get more information about school-related issues?

Health, Family, and Lifestyle Concerns

Helping your child maintain a balanced diet and get adequate rest and regular physical activity will benefit her overall health, and it may help control some of her ADHD symptoms. You may also need to focus on strengthening family relationships, choosing effective discipline techniques, and helping your child develop organizational skills, social skills, and better concentration. Check with your doctor to see whether you and your child need to make any lifestyle changes or whether there's anything you should do at home to better manage your child's ADHD.

• Should we make any lifestyle changes to better manage my child's ADHD?
• Do we need to make any changes in my child's diet or the amount of physical activity he gets?
• What kinds of special accommodations should we be making at home?
• How can I help my child get along better with her siblings?
• Can task lists and schedules be helpful for children with ADHD?
• Are there any toys or games that would be especially beneficial for my child?
• Is ADHD likely to interfere with my child's sleeping habits? How can I help my child get enough rest?
• What are the most effective discipline techniques for children with ADHD?
• Can you recommend any good books, magazines, organizations, or online resources that focus on ADHD in children?

Your Family's Financial Health

The costs associated with your child's ADHD treatment will affect your family's finances. It's crucial to find ways to balance your child's physical health with your family's financial health. Ask your child's doctor about ways in which you may be able to offset the cost of your child's treatment, and follow up with a representative from your insurance company, as necessary.

• Will my child's medication be covered by our family's health insurance plan?
• About how much will my child's medication cost?
• Is there a generic version of the medication that would be more affordable? If not, are there other, equally effective medications that are available as generics?
• Do you have any samples or discount coupons for my child's prescription?
• If we choose a complementary or alternative therapy, is it likely to be covered by our insurance? If not, what kind of out-of-pocket costs can we expect?
• What are our options if we don't have health insurance?